A Texas Representative to the U.S. House of Representatives, Louie Gohmert, recently asked if altering the orbit of the moon can help in fighting climate change.
I find that a bold suggestion coming from a U.S. Congressman instead of an experienced scientist. The orbital force of the moon around the earth and that of the earth around the sun are very strong natural forces. I don't think that they can be altered easily or if that is possible, what consequences it may have on our galactic system.
However, understanding the cyclic nature of these forces may have scientific imperatives for understanding meteorological variability and consequently climate science better. Understanding climate science better can lead to a clearer attribution of climate change to natural variability and human-caused elevated greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
In the course of this attribution study, I suggested gaining a better understanding of the cyclic nature of both orbital forces. A peer-reviewed paper out of this effort was accepted back in 2012 and published first online in 2013. It can be accessed at: Validation of predicted meteorological drought in California using analogous orbital geometries
The paper doesn't go as far as the Congressman's bold suggestion of altering the moon's orbit. However, it opens a new frontier of research about the effect of orbital forces on meteorological variability and climate science. It hasn't yet gained traction among the academic community. I am unsure if the Congressman's suggestion helps some scientists pay attention to this new frontier of research in order to get some funding for it. Nonetheless, I think that it may be worthwhile for young scientists to pursue for a potentially rewarding research exercise.
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Messele Zewdie Ejeta
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